If the chilly weather has gotten to you and you are fighting a cold, there are several things you can do. You can go to your favorite pharmacist and get an over-the-counter cough and cold remedy, drink ginger and honey tea, lemon and honey tea or another natural remedy.
If the chilly weather has gotten to you and you are fighting a cold, there are several things you can do. You can go to your favorite pharmacist and get an over-the-counter cough and cold remedy, drink ginger and honey tea, lemon and honey tea or another natural remedy.
A great drink with no side effects is almond milk, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and a pinch of black pepper. Place all in a small saucepan and heat till warmed, but do not boil.
Belle Cushing of Bon Appetit claims the folks in Providence, R.I., have a Cambodian soup to cure their colds when Cold-Eeze doesn’t cut it. Since the Angkor Restaurant said its special soup recipe is a secret, Belle took a recipe developer to try this wonderful soup. With detailed notes, they went back to the test kitchen to re-create this spicy broth, and couldn’t stop eating their creation. Cushing said, “It may not be FDA-approved, but I’m convinced a few spoonfuls of this spicy broth can cure anything.”
Aromatic Shrimp and Noodle Medicine Soup
Bon Appetit, March 2016
Serves: 4
Broth:
6 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pod
4 star anise pods
3 dried chiles de arbol
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 bunch cilantro
3 medium shallots, halved through the root ends
5 garlic cloves, smashed
Two 6-inch pieces lemongrass, tough outer layer removed, lightly smashed
One 4-inch piece ginger, peeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Paste:
1/2 cup cashews
1 medium shallot, chopped
1 Fresno chile, chopped
One 3-inch piece lemongrass, tough outer layer removed, finely chopped
One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon shrimp paste with bean oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Assembly:
Four 12-ounce packages ramen noodles (or rice noodles)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces mung bean sprouts
4 green onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
Fresh tender herbs such as Thai basil, cilantro and/or mint
Freshly ground black pepper
Chili oil
Lime wedges
Broth:
Toast cloves, cardamom, star anise, chiles, cinnamon and peppercorns in a large pot over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about two minutes. Add cilantro, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, broth and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until flavors meld, one to 1 1/2 hours. Strain into a large bowl, pressing on solids. Return broth to pot, season with salt and pepper.
Paste:
Pulse cashews in a food processor until very finely ground. Add shallot, chile, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar and shrimp paste; process until smooth. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat and cook paste, stirring, until beginning to brown, about two minutes.
Assembly:
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Bring broth to a simmer, add shrimp and cook until cooked through, about two minutes. Divide noodles among bowls. Add 2 tablespoons paste to each and ladle broth over, stir to incorporate paste.
Top with shrimp, sprouts, green onions and herbs; season with pepper. Serve with chili oil and lime wedges alongside.
Small bites
Let’s look at the ingredients that make claims to cure a common cold:
• Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help with cold symptoms.
• Turmeric contains a compound called curcuminoid. However, because it is poorly absorbed, turmeric needs some black pepper to enhance absorption of the curcuminoid. The anti-inflammatory compound helps the body fight off foreign invaders.
• Cloves are a warm spice and full of manganese, more than any other food. They also have antioxidant properties.
• Cardamom contains vitamins A and C and riboflavin. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to help prevent and relieve cold and flu symptoms, bronchitis and coughs.
• Star anise is a healing herb with antifungul and antioxidant properties. The shikimic acid present in star anise has potent antiviral properties and in combination with another compound, quercetin, helps prevent influenza.
• Chiles contain capsacium that boosts metabolism.
• Cinnamon contains polyphenols and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Cilantro contains vitamins C and K and is a heavy metal cleanser.
• Shallots are rich in flavonol and polyphenol compounds, contain vitamins C, A and B6 and potassium, manganese and folate.
• Garlic has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It is high in the sulfur compound allicin, manganese, vitamins B6 and C as well as selenium. It boosts the immune system and can reduce the length of a cold from five days to just 1 1/2 days.
• Lemongrass, also called fever grass, has been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for coughs, the common cold and fevers, is rich in vitamins A and C and folate, folic acid and magnesium.
• Cashews contain vitamins E, K and B6.
So, you can see why a combination of these ingredients all make for a wonderful cure for the common cold.
Foodie bites
The Hawaii Community College Culinary Department’s cafeteria as well as the Bamboo Hale is open through Friday. This week, the Bamboo Hale is serving the foods of New Orleans as well as the menu of the Americas. Call 934-2591 for reservations from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Email me at audreywilson 808@gmail.com.